Bird & Nature Blog
A clutch of the latest stories from Southern Wisconsin Bird Alliance
This group of noisy, rambunctious birds are often called “seagulls” though to be correct, it’s just “gulls.” But, from childhood “Seagulls” is how we learn to talk about them, so it’s more of a term of endearment, right? There are a number of gull species reported in southern Wisconsin, but the two most common are the ones we’ll focus on in Who’s That Singing?" today: the Ring-billed Gull and the American Herring Gull.
Photo by Arlene Koziol
Barn Swallow babies have fledged, making the number of chattering swallows under bridges, inside of barns, and under eaves greater than usual. This acrobatic aerial insectivore (as in, they fly fast and well, and they eat insects while in flight) is a common bird species in southern Wisconsin. You can find them near any built structure, and they create nests of mud and grass under overhangs.
Photo by Mick Thompson
This is the time of the summer when American Goldfinches are making all sorts of noise. Goldfinches are a species that stick around Wisconsin year-round, but summer is when they really shine. Their bright yellow with black accented bodies and their “potato chip” flight calls are just fabulous.
Photo by Jo Zimny Photos FCC
Tree Swallows are a fun, dynamic, and noisy species. As a frequent user of man-made nest boxes, this is a species one is likely to encounter in many types of natural areas, particularly if there is water nearby. Tree Swallows are primarily insectivores, so those watery areas that support lots of flying insects like dragonflies, damselflies, moths, butterflies, etc. are excellent habitat for this bird. This is less likely to be a backyard bird, but one you are likely to encounter on a hike.
Photo by Arlene Koziol
I feel so torn about writing about House Sparrows this week! Although they are an exotic, invasive species that displace and outcompete native birds, they ARE a very commonly heard bird — which is why they are here, in the Who’s That Singing series. For better or worse (and mostly worse), House Sparrows are apart of the soundscape in most urban and farm settings, so here we go!
Photo by Jan Rose FCC
